2011 Top Advisor Rankings: Maryland

Ranked #1: David Zier ♦ David Zier owes his career to some very bad investment advice from his father. At 13, he'd saved $2,000 from mowing lawns and his dad encouraged him to invest in a hot company, which promptly lost half its value. "It was a bad experience, but it made me want to understand the markets and see how they work," says Zier, who today advises about 200 clients. Not surprisingly, Zier, 40, emphasizes downside protection and diversification. He eschews owning individual stocks. For 2011, he believes the fundamentals are good. He is encouraged that corporate earnings are growing and interest rates are low, although he anticipates a rise. So he's lightening up on fixed income, especially U.S. bonds, and is overweight in commodities and gold. He believes the precious metal could enter a long-term bull market if rates and inflation pick up steam. -Michael Sisk